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Outsourcing Freelance Work to India

A discussion topic on some freelance writing boards this week surrounded a story in the L.A. Times about a website dedicated to news in Pasadena, California, outsourcing local news, namely the city council meetings, to writers based in India.

See the full story here: http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-pasadena11may11,1,7515978.story?coll=la-headlines-business

Erik Sherman, an independent writer, has already written a very well crafted commentary on his blog:

http://www.eriksherman.com/WriterBiz/2007/05/indian-outsourcing-teaches-business.html

 

What do our members think? Is this something we should fear or is it the wave of the future we should embrace and learn to battle with our own technological know-how? How does this new type of "reporting" affect journalism?

Weigh in with your comments.

 

Published Saturday, May 12, 2007 12:52 PM by KerriFivecoatCampbell

Comments

# re: Outsourcing Freelance Work to India

Saturday, May 12, 2007 10:16 AM by M A Sharkey
Most editors would fire a reporter who did not attend a meeting in person.
This reminds me of a favorite newspaper stringer story: a stringer who had not called in a story for a few weeks was contacted by her editor.
"Why haven't you filed anything from the village council meetings?," the editor asked.
The stringer responded, "Well they haven't had any meetings the past couple of weeks. The Village Hall burned down."

# re: Outsourcing Freelance Work to India

Saturday, May 12, 2007 10:31 AM by Alan Caruba
I don't see how anyone can think this is a good thing, nor how someone in India can have any grasp of local issues anywhere in the U.S. That just seems to be a logical conclusion to me.

What I have noticed after some four decades of freelance writing is that, while there appears to be lots of freelance work to be had, the sources upon which I have depended seem to have suspended their activity. I have freelanced for PR, trade associations, corporations, and comparable commercial outlets, and am seeing far fewer assignments these days. Writing for most publications seem to offer rates that are not much improved over the years and may have actually gone down a bit.

# Pasadena Now - following the discussion online « Eye Level Pasadena

Saturday, May 12, 2007 2:32 PM by Pasadena Now - following the discussion online « Eye Level Pasadena
PingBack from http://eyelevelpasadena.wordpress.com/2007/05/12/pasadena-now-following-the-discussion-online/

# re: Outsourcing Freelance Work to India

Sunday, May 13, 2007 12:52 PM by Susan Phillips Plese
We must now live with companies that outsource all kinds of work to India and other countries - just try to have someone "talk" you through a computer glitch. Most of these technicians are accomplished, though some are a bit difficult to understand, due to accent.
But solving technical problems on a computer is so incredibly far from covering local news and events in the U.S. by someone living in a drastically different culture thousands of miles away - that it is ludicrous. Crazy. Simplistic. I wouldn't have the gall to apply for a job covering town meetings or events one state away from my own - let alone in India. How can reporters in India "cover" a city in California? Each community has its own culture and personality, not to mention its own jargon. In Connecticut, though West Hartford, Hartford and East Hartford are jammed together on the map, local issues must be understood in context of the personality of the separate cities. You must walk around the streets, look at government buildings, social services, churches, schools. You must speak to people who don't know anything about town meetings and don't go, as well as local officials and gadflies. You cannot write in a vacuum. A transcript of a meeting or event is nothing more than words devoid of context.
If the bottom line is the impulse for such decisions, then let us bless the bottom line. Hate to be trite, but in this case, you DO get what you pay for.

# re: Outsourcing Freelance Work to India

Sunday, May 13, 2007 12:55 PM by Shadi May
I think outsourcing freelance work to India or any where for that matter is the worst decision.  For God's sake, every company is turning into outsourcing, AOL, Microsoft, and various credit card companies, among many others.  What they don't realize is that they have a bunch of upset customers at the other end because the outsourced employees can't understand them or are not as cusotmer-oriented as those in the US.  Why can we just reserve some of those privileges for those of us on this side of the pond?

# re: Outsourcing Freelance Work to India

Monday, May 14, 2007 12:25 AM by Christine Tatum on behalf of Maria Connor of San Diego
Maria Connor dropped me a line about this matter. Am posting it here ... Christine Tatum, SPJ's national president  

I was shocked to read this article. I think James Macpherson, editor and publisher of the Pasadena Now website, who hired foreign reporters to cover local news, has highlighted the very elements that undermine print journalism today: making a buck and the Internet.

Yes, writers have to change with the times and that means keeping up with technology, but Macpherson's actions reduce accurate, authentic, multi-dimensional, responsible reporting to sheer profit.

I would argue that people who live halfway around the world and hail from a culture that calls Richard Gere a criminal for a dramatic dip and kiss with one of their leading actresses, are not necessarily in touch with the nuances of American society. I would also argue that "reporters" who compose stories from pre-recorded interviews are little more than typists. How does this process allow for those side-track discussions that open up during one-on-one interviews (even by telephone!) And with the downsizing, cutbacks and decreased opportunities for journalists in cities across America, I'm sure there are writers in or near Pasadena that would welcome the chance to practice their profession and collect these salaries.

This article doesn't say whether or not Macpherson has any kind of journalism education and if he does not, that also is a downside to the Internet: anyone can write what they want, how they want and call it news. Forget the basics of AP style, forget the elements of storytelling and, most frightening to me, forget the importance of credibility and integrity hammered into the head of every aspiring writer by their Journalism 101 professor.

Thanks,
Maria Connor
Freelance Writer, San Diego, CA

# re: Outsourcing Freelance Work to India

Wednesday, May 16, 2007 10:22 AM by Kay B. Day
I wonder if the job was presented for bids by American writers.

I read the contract value was $20,000. That's a nice chunk, considering what appears to be the body of work required.

I think we have to do a better job of letting the world know American freelancers will gladly bid on jobs like this. What Kerri's doing with the freelance chair position needs to be replicated in every professional organization we have.

I don't think editors are fully aware of the resources at their fingertips.

Best, Kay B. Day

# re: Outsourcing Freelance Work to India

Saturday, May 19, 2007 10:14 AM by Jim Brumm
Kay hit the nail on the head. $20,000 a year would buy that coverage in any U.S. community I've heard about - including the metropolitan New York area. And the editor would get a lot more -- including coverage of folks in attendance and copies of any slides or other presentations.
Remote coverage is not new. It is done in news rooms across the nation every day; and it works very well when supporting material is also available on line, as it often is for analyst and regulatory meetings.
Jim Brumm
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